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Platforms at Wien Hauptbahnhof, where trains from Prague arrive

Wien Hauptbahnhof, opened in its current form in 2014, is the arrival point for RegioJet and Railjet trains from Prague.

Photo: Karl Gruber / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Prague to Vienna by Train

An international route between Czechia and Austria.

Reviewed by Eurotraintrip on 2026-07-30

Duration
4h 00m – 4h 20m
Price from
11 EUR
Distance
300 km
Operators
RegioJetOBB RailjetCeske drahy (CD) EuroCity
Frequency
Around 20 direct trains a day combined across RegioJet and the CD/OBB Railjet joint service, roughly hourly

Compare and book Prague–Vienna tickets

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What makes Prague to Vienna different

  • RegioJet launched this exact route on 10 December 2017 charging EUR 19 against the CD/OBB joint Railjet's EUR 39 - nearly 120,000 passengers rode the yellow trains in the first two months, and corridor ridership was up 30% year-on-year by the following quarter.
  • CD and OBB have jointly run a coordinated two-hourly Railjet service on the wider Prague-Brno-Vienna-Graz corridor since a 2012 operating agreement between the two state railways - even the 'incumbent' service here is a cross-border joint venture, not a single national operator.
  • The line's roughly midpoint stop is Brno, Czechia's second city, about 2h30m from Prague and 1h30m from Vienna - a common one-way break point rather than just a pass-through station.

Prague station

Departs from Praha hlavni nadrazi, whose original 1909 Art Nouveau hall (the Fantova budova) still stands alongside the modern departure hall; metro line C sits directly beneath the station, a couple of stops from Wenceslas Square, with trams 5, 9, 15 and 26 also stopping outside.

Vienna station

Arrives at Wien Hauptbahnhof, which opened in its current form in 2014 replacing the old Suedbahnhof; the U1 subway line runs directly from the station a few stops to Stephansplatz in the historic core, and - as on any domestic-style Schengen train - there's no airport-style security screening before boarding.

Train vs. other options

There's minimal scheduled commercial air service left between Prague and Vienna given how short the hop is; the more realistic comparison is driving the roughly 300km via the D1/D2 and A5 motorways, about 3-3.5 hours without traffic - similar to or slower than the fastest 4-hour train once an Austrian motorway vignette, fuel and city-center parking are added in.

Booking tips

  • Book RegioJet's Low Cost fare as early as possible - from around EUR 14.90, it's a limited-inventory tier that sells out first on Friday and Sunday departures, after which the Standard tier (from about EUR 19.90) is the fallback.
  • Compare RegioJet against the CD/OBB Railjet on the same day rather than assuming one is always cheaper - RegioJet entered this corridor in December 2017 undercutting the state operators' fares by roughly half, and the two still compete head-to-head on price today.
  • Both operators use the same two stations at either end - Praha hlavni nadrazi and Wien Hauptbahnhof - so, unlike Vienna-Budapest on this site, there's no split-station confusion to plan around.

Good to know: RegioJet sells the same train in four fare classes (Low Cost, Standard, Relax, Business) at different price points, while OBB's Railjet only splits into 1st and 2nd class plus a roughly EUR 20 Business surcharge on top of any 1st class fare - so 'Business class' costs a structurally different amount depending which company's train you book.

While you're in Vienna

Facade and gardens of Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna

Schonbrunn Palace, the Habsburgs' baroque summer residence.

Photo: Diego Delso / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Vienna's grand Ringstrasse boulevard, Habsburg palaces and centuries-old coffeehouses (where nobody rushes you out after one cup, by design) make it one of Europe's most purpose-built capitals for slow travel.

Full Vienna travel guide →

Frequently asked questions

How long is the train from Prague to Vienna?

The fastest OBB Railjet trains take about 4 hours station-to-station. RegioJet's direct trains take closer to 4 hours 15 minutes.

How much does the train from Prague to Vienna cost?

RegioJet's cheapest Low Cost fares start around EUR 11-15 booked well ahead; OBB/CD Railjet fares are generally higher, especially close to departure.

Should I book RegioJet or the OBB/CD Railjet?

RegioJet is usually cheaper and has its own onboard fare tiers; Railjet is the joint Czech-Austrian state-operator service with a more traditional 1st/2nd class split. Both use the same two stations, so it's mainly a price-and-comfort choice, not a routing one.

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